Meaning & use
Jesus Christ
Last updated
Meanings
proper nounproperreligion
The first-century religious teacher from Nazareth whom Christians believe to be the Son of God and the savior of humanity.
Grammar: A proper noun with no article: Jesus Christ taught in Galilee.
Patterns
- believe in Jesus Christ
- the teachings of Jesus Christ
Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas.
The church is named after Jesus Christ.
She read about the life of Jesus Christ in the Gospels.
interjectionfixed phraseinformaloffensive
An exclamation expressing surprise, anger or frustration, which some people find offensive.
Grammar: Used alone as an exclamation, not as a name: Jesus Christ, that was close!
Patterns
- Jesus Christ, ...
Jesus Christ, that storm came out of nowhere!
He said Jesus Christ under his breath when he saw the bill.
Many believers object when the words are used as a casual exclamation.
Common combinations
- believe in Jesus Christ
- Millions of people believe in Jesus Christ.
- follow Jesus Christ
- They try to follow Jesus Christ in daily life.
- the teachings of Jesus Christ
- The sermon focused on the teachings of Jesus Christ.
- the life of Jesus Christ
- The film tells the life of Jesus Christ.
- in the name of Jesus Christ
- The prayer ended in the name of Jesus Christ.
Synonyms and how they differ
- Jesus
- Jesus is the personal name and is the most common short form, while Jesus Christ adds the title meaning anointed one.
- Christ
- Christ is a title rather than a surname and is often used in theological writing, while Jesus Christ combines name and title.
- Jesus of Nazareth
- Jesus of Nazareth is a historical or scholarly way to name him, with less religious emphasis than Jesus Christ.
- the Messiah
- The Messiah is a title meaning the promised savior, and Christians apply it to Jesus, whereas Jesus Christ is his name and title together.
Word family
Commonly confused: Jesus Christ or Jesus?
Jesus Christ vs Jesus
Jesus is his given name while Christ is a title, so Christ is not a family name.
Practice
Which use of Jesus Christ is the religious name rather than an exclamation?
Choose one answer.
Only the first sentence uses Jesus Christ as the name of a person. In the others it is an exclamation of annoyance or surprise.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Jesus Christ”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.